2010 Tour de France, Pyrenees stages!

The Tour has been exciting to watch these past two weeks.  Monday, stage 15, the Tour went from Pamiers, France to Bagnes-de-Luchon.  It was so fun to watch the teams fly into Luchon, where we stayed the night of our trip on Day 4, after crossing from Spain to France at Bossost.  The town was hardly recognizable with the crowds, flags, and roadblocks. We were able to get a glimpse of the main street of Luchon and the restaurant where we had dinner across from our hotel, Acta Luchon.  Yesterday, stage 16 was especially fun to watch as the teams left Luchon, taking the same route we did on Day 5; Col de Peyresourde through Arreau where we had a sag stop, up Col d'Aspin, down to Ste Marie de Campam (another sag stop for us), then the east approach up the Col de Tourmalet.  This was our shortest day.  We rode a total of 95 km, staying that night in Luz St. Sauveur at a charming small hotel, Hotel Montaigu, situated under a small knoll with the old ruins of Chateau Sainte-Marie perched on top.  The Tour continued on yesterday, down to Aucun, France, then up the Col de Soulor and Col d'Aubisque ending in Pau for a total of 199.5 km (124 miles).  I can't imagine adding those climbs and the extra miles! 

We recognized  some of the switchbacks going up the Tourmalet and Aubisque, the dark, slippery tunnel from Soulor to Aubisque, along with the epic descent and 400 meter drop to the right with just little concrete blocks that remind you to stay on course.  About 4 km from the top of Tourmalet there was a good view of  the somewhat unsightly 'resort' of la Mongie which you approach through a series of concrete overhangs, their only purpose I could think of at that time was that they provided some much needed shade. Actually they provide road access through the surrounding cliffs and up to the unaesthetic buildings of  la Mongie.  The day we rode, it was about 35 degrees C and construction crews were improving the roads going up both sides of the Tourmalet in preparation for the Tour.  Through la Mongie a heavy asphalt road roller 'paced' alongside of me, the driver wildly waving and cheering me on.   That made me laugh.  Now, having heard more about the Pyrenees and how they are often enshrouded in mist and clouds, I think we were lucky to have good, albeit hot, weather.

It was nice to see that Lance Armstrong had a good showing yesterday.  He looked quite strong leading the first group up the Col's. 

Yesterday I received an email from our friend and fellow rider, Wes, who lives in Australia. He too is watching the Tour and said, "that means for me sleeping on the couch each night as it rarely finishes for us until 2.30AM."  He wrote about the approach to the Tourmalet, reflecting,  "I have to admit to being right on the edge, at that point, of taking the van, but some fresh water and a handful of Mike's sultanas ["better than bloody bars"said Mike*] I managed to keep going." This guy is amazing. He is 66, very fit and well versed on athletic training. He wore a heart monitor and one time stopped momentarily to rest when his max rate was was above target. I passed him, only to have him speed by me, beating me by more than a few minutes to the top!  His 'real' job:  Cuckoo Clock Sales and Box Hill Clock Service, an Australian company based in Box Hill, in Eastern Melbourne.  His next ride?  Trans Alps from Geneva to Nice. 

Today is a rest day for the Tour.  Tomorrow, stage 17; Pau back to Col du Tourmalet, west approach.  174 km (108.1 miles)

*Mike was an extremely funny, entertaining man from England who drove a support van.  He was always encouraging us to skip the 'snickers bars' (Spanish version) and eat the sultanas (which Mike called white seedless raisins).

Chateau Sainte-Marie, built by the Counts of Bigorre in 1278 on a hill overlooking Luz St. Sauveur.